Wednesday morning September 21

Preparation

Opening response

Lord, open our lipsand our mouth will proclaim your praise.

Prayer of thanksgiving

Blessed are you, Sovereign God, creator of all,to you be glory and praise forever.You founded the earth in the beginningand the heavens are the work of your hands.In the fullness of time you made us in your image,and in these last days you have spoken to usin your Son Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.As we rejoice in the gift of your presence among uslet the light of your love always shine in our hearts,your Spirit ever renew our livesand your praises ever be on our lips.Blessed be God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.Blessed be God forever.

Hymn

Being of Beings, God of Love

Charles Wesley

Being of beings, God of love,To thee our hearts we raise;Thy all-sustaining power we prove,And gladly sing thy praise.

Thine, wholly thine, we pant to be;Our sacrifice receive!Made, and preserved, and saved by thee,To thee ourselves we give.

For more we ask; we open thenOur hearts to embrace thy will,Turn and revive us, Lord again,With all thy fullness fill.

Come, Holy Ghost, the Savior’s loveShed in our hearts abroad:So shall we ever live and move,And be with Christ in God.

Confession of sin

When we cry out to the Lord in our distress,he will save us from our desperate circumstances.

God will bring us out of darknessand out of the shadow of death.

Lord, have mercy.Christ, have mercy.Lord, have mercy.

A time of silence and self-examination may be kept.

May the Father forgive usby the death of his Sonand strengthen usto live in the power of the Spiritall our days.Amen.

Let us thank the Lord for his faithful love,and his wondrous works for all people.

Let us offer thanksgiving sacrificesand declare what God has done in songs of joy.

cf Psalm 107

The Word of God

Psalm 49

Refrain:Happy are those who trust in the Lord.

Listen to this, all you people! Listen closely, all you citizens of the world— people of every kind, rich and poor alike!My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart’s meditation is full of insight.I will pay close attention to a proverb; I will explain my riddle on the lyre.

Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when the wrongdoing of my bullies engulfs me— those people who trust in their fortunes and boast of their fantastic wealth?Wealth? It can’t save a single person! It can’t pay a life’s ransom-price to God.The price to save someone’s life is too high— wealth will never be enough— no one can live forever without experiencing the pit.

Everyone knows that the wise die too, just like foolish and stupid people do, all of them leaving their fortunes to others.Their graves are their eternal homes, the place they live for all generations, even if they had counties named after them!People won’t live any longer because of wealth; they’re just like the animals that pass away.

That’s how it goes for those who are foolish, as well as for those who follow their lead, pleased with their talk.Like sheep, they’re headed straight for the grave. Death will be their shepherd— but those who do right in their hearts will rule over them come morning!— their forms wasting away in the grave rather than having some dignified residence.But God will save my life from the power of the grave, because he will take me.

Don’t be overly impressed when someone becomes rich, their house swelling to fantastic proportions, because when they die, they won’t take any of it with them. Their fantastic things won’t accompany them down under.Though they consider themselves blessed during their lives, and even thank you when you deal well with them, they too will join the ancestors who’ve gone ahead; they too will never see the light again.Wealthy people? They just don’t understand; they’re just like the animals that pass away.

Glory to the Father and to the Sonand to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning is nowand will be forever. Amen.

Refrain:Happy are those who trust in the Lord.

Psalm prayer

Save us from envy, God our Redeemer,and deliver us from the chains of wealth,that, ransomed through your Son,we may inherit the crown of everlasting life;through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 117

Praise the Lord, all you nations! Worship him, all you peoples!Because God’s faithful love toward us is strong, the Lord’s faithfulness lasts forever!Praise the Lord!

Glory to the Father and to the Sonand to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning is nowand will be forever. Amen.

Psalm prayer

Gracious God,we praise you for your faithfulnessand pray that every nation may find your blessingin the face of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Old Testament reading1 Kings 19:15-21

The Lord said to him, “Go back through the desert to Damascus and anoint Hazael as king of Aram. Also anoint Jehu, Nimshi’s son, as king of Israel; and anoint Elisha from Abel-meholah, Shaphat’s son, to succeed you as prophet. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill. Whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. But I have preserved those who remain in Israel, totaling seven thousand—all those whose knees haven’t bowed down to Baal and whose mouths haven’t kissed him.”

So Elijah departed from there and found Elisha, Shaphat’s son. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him. Elisha was with the twelfth yoke. Elijah met up with him and threw his coat on him. Elisha immediately left the oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father and my mother,” Elisha said, “then I will follow you.”

Elijah replied, “Go! I’m not holding you back!” Elisha turned back from following Elijah, took the pair of oxen, and slaughtered them. Then with equipment from the oxen, Elisha boiled the meat, gave it to the people, and they ate it. Then he got up, followed Elijah, and served him.

Silence may be kept.

New Testament reading2 Timothy 3:14-17

But you must continue with the things you have learned and found convincing. You know who taught you. Since childhood you have known the holy scriptures that help you to be wise in a way that leads to salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus. Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good.

Silence may be kept.

Gospel canticleThe Benedictus (The Song of Zechariah)

Refrain:Lord, you have raised up a mighty savior for us in your servant David’s house.

Bless the Lord God of Israelbecause he has come to help and has delivered his people.He has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David’s house,just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago.He has brought salvation from our enemiesand from the power of all those who hate us.He has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors,and remembered his holy covenant,the solemn pledge he made to our ancestor Abraham.He has granted that we would be rescuedfrom the power of our enemiesso that we could serve him without fear,in holiness and righteousness in God’s eyes,for as long as we live.You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High,for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.You will tell his people how to be savedthrough the forgiveness of their sins.Because of our God’s deep compassion,the dawn from heaven will break upon us,to give light to those who are sitting in darknessand in the shadow of death,to guide us on the path of peace.”

Luke 1:68-79

Glory to the Father and to the Sonand to the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning is nowand will be forever. Amen.

Refrain:Lord, you have raised up a mighty savior for us in your servant David’s house.

Brief silence.

The Apostle’s Creed

Let us unite in this historic confession of the Christian faith:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,born of the Virgin Mary,suffered under Pontius Pilate,was crucified, died, and was buried;he descended to the dead.On the third day he rose again;he ascended into heaven,is seated at the right hand of the Father,and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,the holy catholic church,the communion of saints,the forgiveness of sins,the resurrection of the body,and the life everlasting. Amen.

Prayers

Intercession and thanksgiving

Prayers are offeredfor the day and its tasksfor the world and its needsfor the Church and her life

Response

In faith we prayWe pray to you, our God.

Silence may be kept.

Collect of the day

Almighty God,you have made us for yourself,and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you:pour your love into our hearts and draw us to yourself,and so bring us at last to your heavenly citywhere we shall see you face to face;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and forever. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Savior taught us, so we pray

Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive those who sin against us.Lead us not into temptationbut deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yoursnow and forever.Amen.

Conclusion

The Lord bless us, and preserve us from all evil, and keep us in eternal life.Amen.